How to get a Resident Producer license in Illinois

Illinois insurance agent licenses

Illinois issues 4 insurance agent credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Rules shared by several license levels

These rules are the same for several of the Illinois insurance agent licenses on this page, so they are shown once here, with the licenses they apply to. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

1. Every license level except Business Entity License (Producer License - Business Entity)

Requirements

Minimum age

18 years old²

2. Every license level except Temporary Producer License

Requirements

Surety bond

$2,500 to $50,000³ (Only producers placing business with an insurer they have no agent contract with)

How to apply

Apply online

nipr.com³¹⁴

Renewal

How often

Every 2 years¹¹⁵

Renew online

nipr.com⁷¹⁶¹⁷

3. Resident Producer / Illinois Insurance Agent and Non-Resident License (insurance producer)

Requirements

Background check

Background check required⁴¹⁴
Applicants must be sufficiently rehabilitated from any act that is grounds for denial (500-30). They answer the uniform application background questions. Question 1 and Question 2 cover any conviction or action regardless of how long ago; IDOI checks the NAIC regulatory-action database on every application, and a wrong "NO" answer is treated as a misstatement.⁴

Also required

All applications and renewals are filed online through NIPR; since July 1, 2023 paper applications and checks are returned.¹⁸

From another state

Military service members, veterans and spouses: A licensed producer who cannot complete renewal procedures because of military service may request a waiver.¹

4. Temporary Producer License and Non-Resident License (insurance producer)

Requirements

Exam

Not required¹⁰¹²

Who needs a Resident Producer license

Selling, soliciting or negotiating insurance in Illinois in the licensed lines of authority: Life; Variable life and variable annuity; Accident and health or sickness; Property; Casualty; Personal lines; other lines allowed by law.¹

Work that does not need this license:

• No producer license is needed for, among others, salaried insurer or agency staff who earn no commission and do only administrative, underwriting or claims work, or who give only technical support to producers (full list in 215 ILCS 5/500-20).¹⁹

Requirements for a Resident Producer license

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 2 and group 3 under Rules shared by several license levels.

Education or training

At least 20 clock hours²
Pre-licensing course of 20 hours per line of authority (Life, Accident/Health, Fire (Property), Casualty, Personal Lines), 7.5 of them in a classroom setting; Motor Vehicle needs 12.5 hours with 5 in the classroom. Courses come from IDOI-certified providers.³
Who may teach it: Course must come from a certified education provider (look-up on statebasedsystems.com); proof of completion must be shown at the test center.³
Alternative: Completing the Fire and Casualty courses also meets the Personal Lines-Property and Casualty requirement.²
Alternative: No pre-licensing education for applicants already licensed in another state for the same lines (215 ILCS 5/500-45).²⁰

Education or training

At least 7.5 clock hours²
Classroom or webinar portion of the pre-licensing course²

Exam

Illinois insurance producer examination: General examination and State examination for each line of authority³
Given by: Pearson VUE³
When you can take it: After completing the pre-licensing course for the line of authority.³
General examination⁸
State examination⁸
Motor Vehicle (and Public Adjuster) is a single exam with both sections⁸
Retakes: A candidate who fails or misses the exam must reapply and pay all fees again; Pearson VUE explains how to rebook.⁶
Time limit: General and State exams must be passed within 90 days of each other; wait 5 days after passing before applying.³
Exam waived: No exam or pre-licensing for those licensed for the same lines in another state (currently, or within 90 days of cancellation).²⁰

Also required

Annuity sales need a one-time 4-hour suitability course (Life line required); long-term care sales need an 8-hour LTC Partnership course (Health line required).²¹

Also required

Address changes must be reported within 30 days.¹

How much a Resident Producer license costs

You pay IDOI (3 fees) and Pearson VUE (exam fee).

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

How to apply

1. Complete the pre-licensing course (20 hours per line, 7.5 in a classroom) with a certified provider.³
2. Register with Pearson VUE for both the General and State exam for each line and pass both within 90 days of each other. Bring proof of course completion.³ home.pearsonvue.com³
3. Wait 5 days after passing, then apply online through NIPR and pay the license fee (prorated to your birth month).³ nipr.com³
4. If you will place business with insurers you have no agent contract with, keep a producer bond in force (form IL446-0152B).³ Form (PDF, idoi.illinois.gov)²²

Temporary or provisional license

A 90-day temporary producer license can be requested by an appointing insurer.¹⁰

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires

Expires on the last day of the birth month.³

Renewal fee

$215⁵

Continuing education

At least 24 hours each renewal period⁷

Required topics

3 hours ethics, classroom or webinar¹
Long-term care: 8-hour one-time course, then at least 4 hours before each later renewal (LTC hours count toward CE)²³
Annuity suitability: one-time 4-hour course (counts toward CE)²¹
Flood (NFIP): "FEMA-Flood Insurance Requirement" course, 3 hours CE credit²⁴
Up to 4 hours per biennium for active service in a professional insurance association (not ethics)¹

Approved courses

Courses must be certified by IDOI and reported by the provider; CE must be on record at least 10 business days before the renewal date (rule recommends finishing 1 month before).⁷

Late renewal

Late renewal fee: $215¹ (resident license reinstated within 12 months of expiration, paid in addition to the $215 license fee)

If it expires

An expired license can be reinstated through NIPR within one year with a penalty, and only if CE is up to date. After more than one year, all pre-licensing courses and exams must be repeated.²⁵
The license ends automatically if CE is not completed; a lapsed license can be reissued within 12 months without exam on paying double the unpaid renewal fee.¹

Moving to Illinois with a license from another state

These are the routes IDOI publishes for the Resident Producer license. The other insurance agent licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Temporary Producer License

90-day license, without exam, for an applicant who is in an insurer's training program and working on the pre-licensing requirements.¹⁰

Requirements

Also required

Only one temporary license per person in a lifetime.¹⁰

Also required

The insurer requests the license and files the application and fee; IDOI may refuse a company whose temporary licensees mostly fail to get licensed.¹⁰

Fees

How to apply

1. The appointing insurance company files the application and the $50 fee with IDOI.¹⁰

Renewal

How often

Every 90 days¹⁰

If it expires

Moving-related conversion rules do not apply to temporary licenses.⁹

From another state

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 4 under Rules shared by several license levels.

Non-Resident License

Same lines of authority as a resident producer; Illinois lines requested must be held on the home-state license.¹¹

Requirements

Residency or citizenship

Resident license in good standing in the home state, and the home state must license Illinois residents on the same basis.¹²

Also required

Five years of employment history are entered on the NIPR application.¹⁴

Fees

How to apply

1. On NIPR choose Non-Resident Licensing > Illinois > Apply, sign in with your home state and license number, and select Producer and the lines of authority.¹⁴ nipr.com¹⁴
2. Complete personal and business data, 5 years of employment history and the background questions, accept the attestation and pay. A license expired within the past year triggers the reinstatement fee.¹⁴

Renewal

When it expires

Renewed every 2 years through NIPR; CE (if required by the home state) should be complete 1 month before the renewal date.¹⁶

Renewal fee

$380⁵

Late renewal

Late renewal fee: $380¹ (nonresident license reinstated within 12 months of expiration, paid in addition to the $380 license fee)

If it expires

An expired license can be reinstated through NIPR within one year with a penalty, and only if CE is up to date. After more than one year, all pre-licensing courses and exams must be repeated.²⁵
Courses reported late (taken in the last 30 days before expiry) can make the licensee ineligible to renew and trigger a late penalty.¹⁶

From another state

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 2, group 3 and group 4 under Rules shared by several license levels.

Business Entity License

Requirements

Exam

No exam for business entities¹³

Business requirements

All applications and renewals are filed online through NIPR; since July 1, 2023 paper applications and checks are returned.¹⁸

Business requirements

Must apply on the Uniform Business Entity Application and designate a licensed producer responsible for compliance.²

Business requirements

Nonresident entities whose home state does not license business entities use the NIPR "No Home State" route.¹⁷

How to apply

1. Apply online through NIPR (resident or nonresident business entity application) and upload any supporting documents to the NIPR document warehouse.¹⁸ nipr.com³

Renewal

Renewal fee

$150⁵

From another state

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 2 under Rules shared by several license levels.

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire an insurance agent in Illinois, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Illinois is on the Illinois license lookup page.

Look up a license

idoi.illinois.gov³

File a complaint

idoi.illinois.gov³

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• 215 ILCS 5/500-20 (exceptions to licensing)
• 215 ILCS 5/500-25 (examination)
• 215 ILCS 5/500-30 (application for license)
• 215 ILCS 5/500-35 (license, lines of authority, renewal, CE)
• 215 ILCS 5/500-40 (nonresident licensing)
• 215 ILCS 5/500-45 (exemption from examination)
• 215 ILCS 5/500-65 (temporary insurance producer license)
• 215 ILCS 5/500-135
• 50 Ill. Adm. Code 3119

Rule changes since January 2024

• December 30, 2025: 50 Ill. Adm. Code 3119 (continuing education) was amended effective 12/30/25 to align with the NAIC Continuing Education Reciprocity Agreement. Self-study exams are now open book and courses may renew at most 5 times.²⁶

Common questions

Insurance agent licenses in other states

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